Vaspa, there are not enough words to describe your work. It’s amazing!![Y]
Coming along beautifully!
I was thinking, when you go to look for “curtains” and “carpet,” perhaps you might try a Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift store and look at the used clothing. You might find something that’s faded or stained that you could cut up to replicate carpet and drapes that are aged and tired.
That’s a very good idea Jim. Thanks. Thanks for your kind words mm23t.
The side wall is now attached and the wall with the mirrors is almost ready for installation. Photos soon .
A friend sent me a baggie full of resin bottles (brown green and clear) and I wanted to include one sitting either in the drains of on the landings…a little glass monument to a drunken moment. The castings were more beer bottle shaped, so I set to work getting them to look like a scale wine bottle. This was my first go. The original is on the left and on the right is the bottle I ended up with after I spent a little while whittling. I’ve made a couple more since and I am getting close to what I want. A Chateau Lafite label is my next bit of research…
Here are some more update photos. I have the two side walls in place now:on the left is the duct work and on the right is the mirror. It is now much more claustrophobic, which is going to be a good think in the end.
Overall:
A bottle of Chateau Lafite abandoned on the landing…this is not the final bottle, just a trial so see how it would look. Its not quite there yet.
A view of the mirror interface, which has worked better than I expected. The mirrir is a little hazy but will work in context. The vertical drain is raised a little off the wall and hides the join nicely.
I also had to join the mirror mid-way so I hid the join the a half-round rod painted to it looks like a wall reinforcement
Some more detail shots
This looks like light reflecting off a nearby window
A low angle shot
The fire escape door
More in my fotki account
Time to get the box sealed up…stay tuned.
Hi Narayan,
Looking at the scene you are creating, one can literally feel the breeze whipping between the buildings and detect that back-alley smell; absolutely beautiful work!! [:D[
The hazy reflection gives the scene its realistic deph of field…
… which is one of the qualities that make the mirrors so well suited for modeling, regardless of the subject. Any half object against the mirror further aides in fooling the viewer.
Outstanding work, as usual, and will continue watching with interest! Thanks!
Take care, [:)]
Frank
Thanks Frank. You are right about the mirrors giving a sense of depth. It really works well. I would never have known about the mirrors if it hadn’t been for your amazing in flight airliner dios. I can’t wait to see your 747 project take off.
~Most impressive Narayan! It’s quite increadable really. Gives one the feeling of being there, and as stated, somehow there’ s enough atmosphere that a chilly breeze even seems included. Don’t take this the wrong way but, It’s one figure away from being the finest Batman Diorama ever seen. Batman I say? Well, that would add interest [:P]
It gets better every time you post… even tho it was already great many posts ago. This has to be published in the FSM! Hope you are keeping documents of your work. They are always looking for something different and new to be published…
That’s a great idea about submitting an article, Narayan! [Y]
Yes, that’s what I thought also, Andy; I submitted an article using the mirrors back in October '08 which was enthusiastically accepted, but has been on indefinite hold ever since…? [:^)]
Indy: Funny you should say that. I was watching the most recent Batman movie and I think it was filmed in Chicago as the fire-escapes are almost identical to the ones I photographed in the Windy City and used as a reference for this diorama. I am afraid that it may be a VERY VERY long time before I include a figure in any of my dios. They are something that just don’t interest me.
DP and Frank the idea of an article is a good one, thanks for suggesting it. I am seriously thinking about that as a possibility.
Hi Vespa Boy,
First of all I want you to know I think you are a fantastic modeler and have attention to detail skills that are very impressive.
I do though think you are not well served with your attitude toward figures. It is just my opinion of course but I do not believe it is possible to fully tell a story without them it is like handing a book written in Braille to a sighted person that happens to be able to “read” braille. He might be able to struggle through it but I think it would be quite difficult to get the full intent of the author. To be honest I glanced at this once but because there was no reference for me I nodded my head and clicked on. I only came back because people I respect told me to take another look. I am like that with vehicles as well. The majority of the people on the forum are very skilled and I can only look at so many tanks before it’s just a blur of images, but put a figure there doing something and I pause and try to figure out the reference. I believe figures add scale and impact and with your skills you could be a real force with figures it would complete your “Tapestry of Detail”! As it is it will be an unfinished Novel!
Again my friend just my impressions and comments to another artist please take them in the spirit that they are offered to comment you on your fine work and to provide encouragement for you to stretch yourself a little.
If I came across as a pompous Back end of a Mule I sincerely apologize!
Your Art is Spectacular and it is your Art after all!
Hi Schnobs,
Thanks for your thoughts about figures. I agree that figures are useful for a diorama that has a narrative at its core. And I do understand that most people want and need figures for a diorama to work for them.
What I have been doing is making a record of things that I see as I travel around…Some people do drawings of a place, I have been making 3d models/scenes. , I use the diorama forum as I think it is the nearest to what I do even though the general concensus is that they are not dioramas.
For example, I looked at fire-escapes in Chicago for weeks and never saw anyone on them, so I am modliing something in its natural state as I experienced it. We all know they are built to save lives, and they often get used for other purposes, especially in Summer. It would be much more exciting to see a bunch of people marching down the stairs, but the day to day reality is that they don’t get used (and that is a good thing…we don’t want building burning down all the time). The other thing is that its boring being in your hotel room looking out the window, and I wanted to convey that feeling as well.
But also it reflects my own personal interest. Even though I like all kinds of art, I end up looking at abstract art and find it much more intesting than figurative painting on a personal level (and there are of course exceptions to that).
I didn’t take your thoughts as as the pompous thoughts of an @$$'s @$$!!! I appreciate them and thanks for sharing.
Excellent and thank you you for the well thought out response I appreciate it my friend. I am glad my comments were well received.
I completely understand and appreciate artistic preferences. I had the opportunity to see a Jackson Pollock painting in the museum and felt like I could do better with ten minutes and a $2.00 watercolor set but that’s me I come from the Midwest originally and art is a Duck Stamp! If it does not look like something it isn’t art. Again just my opinion and i am learning every day since I got into this Hobby to appreciate the differences and nuances of art. I have a long way to go!
If that was my piece I would put a 1960’s era CIA sniper in his best black suit white shirt with black string tie with a 250 Remington Bolt action rifle and a 10x Scope.on one of the landings and name the Dio “The Grassy Knoll” or hang spider man upside down off one of the landings. Again just me.
You are a wonderful artist and it has been great sharing comments with you! Keep it up!
“Igonore that man behind the curtain He is not important!”
I understand where you are coming from Schnobs and I really get it. It sounds like you are out to grab the viewers attention, and if you can do it that is a really good thing for your dioramas. I want to draw your attention to the little things you never stop to notice, and when there is no action to disract you, that is exactly what you are left with. I also know that “art” is a tricky thing to get your head around. One word of advice about Jackson Pollock, or Mark Rothko or Barnet Newman, or Agnes Martin or any other non figurative artist…it may look simple, but its not. Its the extremely high skill level of the artist that deceives you into thinking that it is easy.
Its good discussing this stuff with you. Thanks
Yes you are absolutely correct. During that same museum experience I found some bottles on the stairs and like a good Midwesterner i threw them away which horrified the museum staff because apparently it was a Artistic Representation of Bottles on the Stairs! [:D]
I also think Andy Warhol is a hack but as you say I am trying to learn the nuances. My friend Adam is an artist and I like him so I guess I am half way there! [:D]
Keep doing what you are doing it’s fantastic and it looks like a building and that makes sense to me!!
[:D]
First…you continue to do museum quality work. Simply stunning!!
As far as the figure discussion, I think figures would detract from this dio. The story is in the starkness of the alley. Maybe some paper garbage that ha blown into the corner near the vent…the bottles are great…the inanimate objects are great…if anything…maybe a cat!!
Rounds Complete!!
[quote user=“redleg12”]
“First…you continue to do museum quality work. Simply stunning!!” <----- This is quite true , I agree
“As far as the figure discussion, I think figures would detract from this dio”
.I’ve never heard of figures “detracting from a Dio”, unless they are poorly done, or ill-chosen to do the job of telling said story. I supose if one didn’t possess the skills to populate a scene well, then it may be a mistake to try to do so, or require that person to enter a new skill-building phase.
"The story is in the starkness of the alley. "
In this case there really isn’t a “story” per se—the story is a lack of a story—as Narayan explained the final outcome of this will be to convey how boring it is looking out a typical hotel window. {To spend the time studying a scene like this through the eyes of the artist is what this scene is.} Narayan and I have discussed before that what is “backround” to other scene builders is" subject" to him, particularly when carried to his level of detail. <----This I have to accept, and be grateful I have recieved any explaination at all, as most art doesn’t afford us this oppertunity.
I made the suggestion of the Dark Knight figure, and appearently I touched on a connection the artist had made himself — “Bingo” —I could have just as well said"Spiderman", but I like Edmund’s idea of the lone gunman even better-----of course all these ideas are entirely second-hand. Ed nor I had thought up this project in the 1st place and so can’t have as clear an idea what it’s really meant to be as it’s maker. This is quite often the case with artworks, that we never really surmise what it is the artist is expressing, we only know that there is something to it, even in the case of an art-fraud, which are as subjective as accepted art pieces often enough.
Are Narayan’s work’s Dioramas? Not by the criteria givin in judging model contests. This is an entirely unimportaint distinction however—the reality of the scene is undeniable,the artist’s devotion to his pursuit readily appearent, and the fact that we spend this sort of time considering these quesions may only add to the mystery of it’s origins~~~~~~~~
[quote user=“*INDY”]
You go into great detail breaking each sentence apart to discuss the art. Art is opinion…everyones will be different based on their perspective and experiences, I gave mine.
I grew up in NYC and saw many an alley like this one…it touched an experience
The idea of the figure…it is like sitting on a deserted beach watching the waves…if someone suddenly enters the picture it detracts from the experience…
The story…there is the story each of us want to make based on our experience…
Diorama…who really cares what judges think. If you build for judges you are not a modeler or artist, you are an assembler and trophy hound. You cannot use the “judging” criteria for a diorama in this case. What has been created is a fantastic landscape.
Lastly…do I understand an artist…well my daughter is one…everyone of us who build models are trying to be one…somewhat… but Narayan is truly an artist beyound reproach!!
Rounds COmplete!!
[quote user=“redleg12”]
*INDY:
A bit of a of a dissapointing response Mike…you we’re a little hit and miss with the points, and seem to have mis-read the real spirit of my post a number of ways—obviously everyone has an opinion, and that’s yours. Art however, is NOT an opinion, Art is an expression, shared through a medium. My definition. I challenge anybody to offer a better one. What is an opinion, is what a given art piece says to them, what it’s value may be, how well the artist met his or her goals, and plenty of other subjective responses related to the work.
I stated that I get Narayan’s work, it’s about his experience, you don’t need to relate your life story to give it relevance.
Obviously Mike, I broke the 1st part of your post apart to speak to each point. This was for clear communication. If it bothers you, I can do things a different way.(There was the 1st statement that I completely agreed with!)
Something unsaid but sermisable from my post was that by popular definition, like the criteria of contest judges,Dioramas contain figures.------- You don’t do figures.Mike, you don’t do dioramas. —You build artillery pieces with footprints on them and no crew in sight. If that’s what you want to do, fine. I could make the same suggestion to you on your post that your build would be far better with well-done figures, and in my opinion it would. I don’t bother however, because I see you have come this far as a proficient modeler without doing figures, and it’s likely unacceptable for you to go back to ‘square one’ to learn figure painting. I’ts better to claim they don’t interest you.
As far as your statement - Quote:
“Diorama…who really cares what judges think. If you build for judges you are not a modeler or artist, you are an assembler and trophy hound. You cannot use the “judging” criteria for a diorama in this case. What has been created is a fantastic landscape”
I don’t know how that could be in response to what I said, if you understood my post. It’s definately not me . I pretty much said that, so I guess you agree that much. As for the artwork in question being a “landscape”, there’s no land in sight. It’s more a cityscape, though so special it deserves it’s oun catagory or none at all.
Mike, you are very good at what you do, as Narayan is great at what he does. I do respect you, I want you to know that, I think the subject of figures touches a nerve though, and I want you take my commments in the spirit intended, it wasn’t my idea to “reproach” anyone.